An Open Letter To Saudi Arabia

The word “dear” is a common salutation in any letter, but I feel so conflicted using it in this instance, since not only are you not dear to me, I actually despise you, for what you are, what you have done and continue to do and ultimately what you symbolize in the world.

I write this on behalf of your people, many of whom are my friends and whom I consider extended family members, who languish in your state, unable to speak, watching helplessly as you prey upon basic human rights of your own citizenry.

I write this on behalf of the tortured and executed innocence of your archaic injustice system, where upper social class and male privilege hold greater sway than both truth and justice.

I write this on behalf of immigrant workers, who come to help build your nation, who you treat like animals, and who you further victimize in ways too gross and too numerous to mention.

Despise You

I do despise you for how you have treated Tamils, Bangladeshis, Filipinos, East Africans and other racial groups who constitute a modern day slave labor system in your nation, complete with the viciousness of the days of old; and yet this is not the main reason for this letter.

I do despise you for how my friend (name omitted for security reasons) and his family are brutalized by the elites of your nation, despite being Saudi himself, and have no recourse for justice, since you have a system that blames the victim, when that victim represents a minority of any kind; and yet this is not the main reason for this letter.

I do despise you for how my aunt and uncle were treated while they lived in Riyadh, where he was working for AT&T, and the tales they told me of what they experienced and what they saw with their own eyes, and again this is not the main reason for this letter.

Hold You Responsible

As an American I hold you responsible for all the 9/11 hijackers who came from your country. I hold you responsible for Bin Laden and your export of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, which has hijacked the lives of many people, including Americans overseas and continues to hold our tax dollars hostage in military expenditures. I hold you responsible for the Janjaweed, for Boko Haram and for ISIS, all of whom you directly or tacitly support.

I hold you responsible as a human being, who sees your citizens, impish oil sheikhs, who travel to places like Los Angeles and London, prey upon women with brutal sexual violence and escape their crimes by using the façade of diplomatic immunity and paying off those who compromise their own values for filthy oil dollars. I am in disbelief that women and both religious and ethnic minorities are treated with greater disdain and inequity than that experienced by those groups before Islam.

Disgust

The greatest reason for my disgust of your regime is the simple fact that all of these valid critiques are looked upon you as a sources of pride and that this pride fuels even greater abuses such as your financial and military support for the genocide in Bahrain and the extermination of the Houthi people in Yemen. The news of your execution of Sheikh Nimr Al-Nimr, whose only crime was to ask for open elections, speaks volumes that you are a regime who is so wrapped up in the cloak of your perceived self-importance that you strike out at any that you can who disagree with you. You destroy shrines and world heritage sites to make space for your own aggrandizement, but also because those places represent legitimacy and you know you’re an illegitimate ruler of Holy Lands.

This is why I cannot go on the Hajj. I have family and friends who have gone, but I do not believe I can. I cannot enable the misperception that the false hajj you lead is legitimate. I cannot allow one cent to directly inure your kingdom of benefit from my coffers (I know that my usage of gasoline does, and I am taking steps, pun intended to remedy that as well). I cannot allow a visa stamp be looked on by my children, the students I teach as tacit approval of your regime and I cannot practice the cognitive dissonance that so many do who feel the same way.

So I have to deny myself a holy pilgrimage that I longed to do even before I became Muslim and prayed for every day since, and instead devote my prayer to your demise—that from your ashes a just regime emerges that is more in tune with the egalitarian and scientific principles of the true Islam. I will devote my time as an artist and educator to speak out against you and I hope that the Islamophobes in my country take a moment to listen, so that they know that where their legitimate fear can be directed. I will use my words to enliven those you’ve killed, thinking they have gone away—so do not think Sheikh Nimr Al-Nimr is dead, he is very much alive and his voice will only grow louder as I add my voice to it, and invite those who are like-minded to do the same.

There are those Muslims who may read this and say that I’ve gone too far and that the hajj is a pillar of our faith, and yet if Husayn ibn Ali and Zaynab bint Ali, the grandchildren of the Prophet Muhammad could break their hajj and leave Arabia just as the usurper Yazeed became Caliph—I believe I am justified in doing so.

There are those Americans who read this and wonder why I am focusing all my energy on you, when there are so many other despotic regimes in the Middle East—and it is because you are the reason for many of their existences as well and I’d rather focus my attention on the head of the beast rather than its tentacles for if you kill the head, the rest will fall.

How do you kill the head; a head created by lies and emboldened by ignorance? With truth and knowledge. This open letter is just the beginning. I have been relatively silent till now, but I can no longer sit pat while innocent people are killed–

You have awoken in me and others who are brave enough to stand with me your greatest nightmare—we will be the truth seeking missiles that will dismantle the infrastructure of your lies and the knowledge bearers who will water the thirsty while rooting out the ignorance you depend on for your existence. Your days on this earth are numbered.

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31 thoughts on “An Open Letter To Saudi Arabia”

We are saddened to learn of the execution of Sheikh
Nimr in Saudi Arabia . He was a man who
gave his life to standing up to oppression and for
human and minority rights. He embodied the values
of Hussain and never gave up in speaking out
against the tyrant of his time. In Hussain’s own
words, “death with dignity is better than a life of
humiliation”.

Absolute truth of each word has been said…May Allah’s blessings be with you Proff Ali. In Sha Allah the pure blood of Sheikh Nimr will not be wasted…May Allah inflict the disease of Paralysis on the man who killed Sheikh Nimr..and to Salman death should be seen by world as the worst of death given like the Saddam, Gaddafi who killed the Wasted the pure blood of Sadr Clan….Oh Allah we trust and only depend on you…

I am a victim of Saudi Arabian rape in San Francisco, America in 1979!!! I was a virgin and my girlfriend knew that. She set me up to be raped by her Saudi male friends at an innocent birthday party!!!
I am furious about how these white turbin wearing dark skinned men use d,e , drugged me, and stole my soul, my innocence, my virginity!!!!!!
I cannot believe we are in a USA led coalition with these monsters!!!!
They can take Sharia Law and terrorist type government and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine.
They will get there’s in death!Surelyyyy, Allah or my God will NOT allow them any Virgins in Paradise or any such Heavanely home with a mighty loving Creator.
I WAS 14 when I got hurt physically, socially and mentally by those monsters!!!!! I am now 50 and no other man has EVER hurt me like they did!!!

I thank God I live here in America where I am free to say as I want, write to whomever I want and be myself under GOD!

They can also take the Birkhas , as I spit on them!
How dare they use religion to make women cover up their hair so they don’t tempt mankind. It’s all a huuuuge cruel joke to me. Womens right s are ZERO under SHARIA LAW! NO DRIVING ! NO RIGHTS!!!! YOU REALLY STINK!!!!!

What’s the deal with Birkhas anyway? Why do some women wear them in some Islamic countries and some do not? I see moreso in Saudi..am I right? Is it sharia law or religion that makes them dress like jailed souls?

By the way, much you speak of I do not know of. But, some of it I do relate.
I am proud of you for speaking out.
Thank you for sharing this with me.
In God we trust; not corrupted , power hungry, freedom speaking , citizen killing governments.
May God stop this insanity amongst humanity. And I am also so fed up with IRAN, Russia, N.Korea, China, SaudiArabia, Syria, Palestine, communistic societies , Sharia law, and the terrorists that come from these countries through the back door or directly.
I digress …..

Well don’t concern yourself as far as fuel consumption is concerned. All American fuel comes from domestic wells or Canada,not the Middle East.
So other than the environmental impact you aren’t funding Saudi Arabia by burning any fossil fuels.

I love and appreciate your total honesty. You enlightened me regarding Islam, I thank you. Evil forces can be taken down I am a Canadian native, we have our own beliefs, peaceful beliefs. No one wins, fucking Idiots! It’s not a game.

Wow, one of the most eloquent and on-point criticism of the BinSauds I’ve read in a long time. I think we can all sense that the BinSauds are indeed living their last days of their illegitimate, treacherous existence as the usurpers of the two Harams.

I have read your post with no surprise by its content as i am familiar with that country and their code of conduct. That country is an example where the many good locals, whether Sunni or Shiite, have no voice. Where being different is a sin.
I can’t be too sure about the Saudis related to the 9/11 event but that might be wishful thinking.
I think that you have covered one area of the truth and focused on it. I personally cannot blame the oppressing regime alone without their partners in crime, the US.
I also can’t ignore the fact that Iran has done similar acts before and hung men for similar reasons.

Dear professor A. L.I.
I was so impressed by your enlightened and eloquent letter so much that I decided to translate it into arabic and have it published in a website that millions of Arabs read every day.
I certainly apologise for not having gotten your permission prior to the translation.
Please keep up the excellent work.

Thank you professor Ali for the letter.
I agree with most of your contents
And details. My view.
1) 9/11 Idoubt whether Saudis are responsible perhaps George Bush jr
has the right answer.
2) Saudi Arabia’s oppressing regime
Alone cannot be held responsible for
Their crimes.
Their mentor , partner, director is
No doubt USA and is equally
responsible in all the crimes commited
By the regime in Saudi and Overseas.
3) i would like to add one more point
To your letter in regards to Saudis
Zero response during Bosnian crisis.
Zero response now to Syrian crisis.
Where is Muslim brotherhood burried
In the sands of Saudi desert. Its really
Disgusting.
4)foreigners working in Saudi never
Gets immigration or permanent
Residence. Its a oil rich country and
U.S does not allow Saudis to grant
Immigration or citizenship to foreigners.
It will jeopardise U.S interest.
However, i appreciate your focus on some issues but there are a lot more
If you pull the string all the major
Countries will come out with Saudi.

You are right about hijacking. I grew up in the middle east in UAE. I had friends i went to college with who were Sunni Muslims who would say weird things about Shias and i will tell them that they are all lies. Whats funny is that they would mean it and believe in the lies they were being told at these Saudi funded Madrasas. Somehow Saudi Arabia has dumbed down their own population and make them believe in ridiculous lies to the core.

Now when i see these people post crap articles which are baseless like Al Nimr tried to break the East, Al Nimr tried to take up Guns, Al Nimr had a gun when he was caught is so foolish… The worse is that they believe in these lies so much that its insane.. 😦

Sadly, we have come to a time where there is no other way out but to remove this evil regime. I hope a day comes that the hijacked souls could open their eyes and see what type of nonsense have they been fed.

Thank you for voicing the thoughts of many many out there. There has never been a country as evil as Saudi Arabia in the recent past! Or maybe I’m quick to judge here. I have omitted to mention the great US of A, one country that has had a finger in every war in the world and been directly responsible, from the time of its so called existence for the last 200 odd years. Bankrolled by banksters, arms industry and their great financiers! Will the world ever see peace as long as these evil regimes continue to spread their evil tentacles all over us??

I am writing to ask for your help. I have no one else to turn to. I understand you, from the kindness and holiness in your heart,at times, extend your generosity and resources to help those in need. Let me explain who I am and my request and the reason I am asking the royal monarchof the Kingdom of Saudi…

I need an operation at a good hospital to replace my left eye that was taken from me when I worked as Domestic Worker in the Pallace of Princess Madawi Bin Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Alsaud. The Princess would be in her mid-forties at this time. I worked as part of the Personal retinue maids for the Princess from 2002 to 2004 in Jeddah when I was in 27 to 29 years of age.

Daily in Jeddah, for over 700 days I was mistreated, whipped and tortured by the Princess and her consort Princess Jawharra is also in her mid-forties. My travail and the suffering of the other maids was basically to provide amusement for the two Saudi Princesses.

Finally, in 2004 toward the end of my service, one of the hundreds of blows I received from the Princess Madawi found its way into my left eye. I was grievously wounded in that instant and lost the sight in my left eye shortly afterward, Later the eye turned white and the optic nerve died. My face is disfigured and I have had no chance to marry or hold a job since 2004. However, thanks be to Allah, doctors have told me I would be a good candidate for an eye transplant.

I am asking you King Salman, that from the great fount of goodness and mercy that the world knows exists in your heart to finance my eye transplant operation. The cost would not be great. Estimates place the amount needed, which would be paid directly to the hospital and the medical personnel at only $70,000.

I am turning to you, my last hope, since I want to see again from my left eye and be the normal looking person I once was. I am enclosing documentation of this event and my efforts to get help. Respectfully, as a poor country, the Philippines government has never had the resources needed to help me. I implore you. Great King, to help me and make right the wrong, I suffered as an innocent maid at the hands of a member of the Royal Saudi Household. If you can help me, I am certain your name and reputation will be even more glorious and known for it generosity than the high place that it holds now. Also, may Allah will further bestow His Blessings on Yourself and the Saudi Kingdom. As the Prophet Mohammed has said and demonstrated debts should be repaid with a generous heart at an amount even larger than the debt.

Please have a member of your staff contact me. I am at your disposal to provide more information or meet with any members of the saudi delegation.